Court: Spain can extradite Liberty Reserve founder

Share this story

MADRID (AP) - A Spanish court has ruled that a man accused of being behind one of the world's biggest money laundering businesses can be extradited to the U.S. to face charges there.

Arthur Budovsky, who founded currency transfer and payment processing company Liberty Reserves, can appeal the ruling, the National Court said late Friday. Spain's government must also approve the decision for an extradition to happen.

It wasn't immediately clear if Budovsky would appeal. The 40-year-old Costa Rican, who was arrested at Madrid airport in May 2013, has acknowledged founding Liberty Reserve in 2006, but says he sold his share to stay on only as a consultant.

U.S. officials accuse Budovsky of using Liberty Reserve as a kind of underworld bank which handled about $6 billion worth of illicit transactions.